There is one step in your dental visit you can’t live without: oral cancer screening

Oral Cancer Foundation research shows that the death rate from oral cancer is higher than that of cancers we hear about routinely such as cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, thyroid cancer or skin cancer (malignant melanoma).

Are you at risk for Oral Cancer?

The Canadian Cancer Society lists the following risk factors, but also notes that some people develop oral cancer without any of these factors:

• Age – particularly after 50
• Gender – more men develop oral cancer
• Smoking – particularly if combined with heavy alcohol consumption
• Chewing tobacco or using snuff
• Heavy alcohol consumption – particularly if combined with smoking
• Excessive sun exposure to the lips
• Some medical problems in the mouth tissues
• Chewing betel nut

At Dentistry on Wynford, we use a state-of-the-art diagnostic aid (ViziLite® Plus) for annual oral cancer screening. Early detection improves survival rates dramatically. The procedure is non-invasive, involves no pain or discomfort and is inexpensive. It uses the principle of tissue reflectance to visually identify changes that may be associated with the development of oral cancer.